The banned bookshop of Maggie Banks

The banned bookshop of Maggie Banks

Shauna Robinson

Book - 2022

"From acclaimed author Shauna Robinson comes a bookish, millennial story about a young woman looking to start a new chapter in her life, and in doing so finds a community built around the books we love and the book club: fun, goofy, and totally against the rules. Catering to the stories folks actually want to read and making fun of the stuffy "classics", Maggie falls in love with books and realizes the power stories have to build community. But with a historical society itching to catch her and shut her down for good, and a budding relationship with an adorably strait-laced inspector weighing on her conscience, everything starts to fall apart. And just as Maggie feels herself becoming a part of the community, she unearths a t...own secret that could ruin everything. She'll have to figure out what's more important: the books that formed a small town's history, or the stories poised to change it all. A warm, funny book club read about community, finding yourself, and the transformative power of stories, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks is a much-needed novel perfect for readers of The Storied Life of AJ Fikry and The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. Praise for Must Love Books "A heartfelt and exciting debut...a wise and honest story of how it feels to be a young woman in search of yourself."-Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Malibu Rising "A tender reflection on finding your person while you're still desperately searching for yourself."-KJ Dell'Antonia, New York Times bestselling author of The Chicken Sisters "A book for book lovers... It's impossible not to root for Nora!"-Jesse Q. Sutanto, National Bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties"--

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FICTION/Robinson Shauna
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
1st Floor FICTION/Robinson Shauna Checked In
Published
Naperville, Illinois : Sourcebooks Landmark [2022]
Language
English
Main Author
Shauna Robinson (author)
Physical Description
329 pages ; 21 cm
ISBN
9781728246444
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

In her second novel (after Must Love Books, 2022), Robinson introduces the reader to the endearing but aimless Maggie Banks. Maggie accepts the temporary job of running Cobblestone Books while her friend, Rochelle, takes maternity leave. Until now, Maggie has been drifting; dead-end jobs, little motivation, unclear goals. Yet almost as soon as she arrives in the hamlet of Bell River, she finds herself with a clear mission: to save the bookshop. The town of Bell River has been designed to uphold the legacy of famed writer Edward Bell. As a result, the bookstore is limited to selling work that was only available in Bell's time--which ended in 1968. Bell's grandson, Ralph, holds Bell's legacy over all the local shops like a weapon; no talking about possible scandals and no deviating from the narrative! When Maggie decides to rebel by offering modern fiction to local patrons, she does it on the down-low. Will her budding romance with Ralph's right-hand man, her new friendships, and the town's economy survive her meddling? Charming, uplifting, and funny.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

Bibliophile Robinson (Must Love Books) brings her book-loving readers into another book-centered story, making room for all readers, no matter their reading preference. Hapless but good-hearted Maggie arrives in Bell River to take over the local bookstore for her friend on maternity leave. It all sounds wonderfully exciting until she discovers the rules of the "Bell Society": no contemporary novels, no books not available during hometown literary icon Edward Bell's lifetime, and no questioning the character of said author. As an outsider, Maggie lacks the unquestioning devotion to the town's beloved author, angering the Bell Society management. Versatile narrator Imani Jade Powers relates Maggie's words evenly and calmly, bringing out her thought processes and motivations as she searches for a way to save the foundering bookshop. Maggie begins to secretly hold fun genre-themed events and starts an online presence that skyrockets the bookstore's profitability, but at what cost? Despite toxic Bell Society issues, Maggie finds herself making friends and falling in love with her adopted small town. VERDICT An uplifting small-town romance with broader appeal.--Laura Trombley

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